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Daily Archives: February 16, 2017

Main image:Head of U.S. Pacific Command, Adm. Harry B. Harris, stands with troops participating in the opening ceremony of the Cobra Gold Thai-US military exercise on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2017 in Sattahip, Thailand. Harris is the highest-ranking U.S. official to attend the annual exercise this year since Thailand’s 2014 coup in an American bid to strengthen relations.Dake KangAP Photo

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DRDO to extend BrahMos cruise missile range to 450km, thereafter 800km; first test on March 10

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) chief S. Christopher on Wednesday said that DRDO is likely to extend the range of its BrahMos supersonic cruise missile to 450 km from existing 290 km.

By: FE Online | Published: February 15, 2017 4:23 PM

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) chief S. Christopher on Wednesday said that DRDO is likely to extend the range of its BrahMos supersonic cruise missile to 450 km from existing 290 km. The first test is to be conducted on March 10 this year. According to Christopher, the missile can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft or land, with the enhanced range. Christopher also added that BrahMos with a range of 800km will be ready in next two and a half years. The BrahMos, a supersonic cruise missile that carries warheads weighing up to 300 kg and strike targets on land and at sea.

BrahMos is a joint venture between the Russia’s NPO Mashinostroeyenia and India’s DRDO who have together formed BrahMos Aerospace. It operates on ‘Fire and Forget Principle’, adopting varieties of flights on its way to the target. It’s cruising altitude could be up to 15 km and the terminal altitude is as low as 10 meters.

Since late 2004, the missile has undergone several tests from variety of platforms including a land-based test from the Pokhran range in the desert, in which the ‘S’ maneuver at Mach 2.8 was demonstrated for the Indian Army and a launch in which the land attack capability from sea was demonstrated.

Brahmos is a wonder missile that can take down terror camps or hideouts even in mountain areas where natural protection makes any other offensive action, bar crossing the border, ineffective. It is also the world’s fastest anti-ship cruise missile in operation. A hypersonic version of the missile, BrahMos-II, is also presently under development with speed of Mach 7-8 to boost aerial fast strike capability. It is expected to be ready for testing by 2017.

US Navy revives interest in Super Hornet engine upgrades

The US Navy has revived interest in studying a major upgrade of the engine that powers the Boeing F/A-18E/F, EA-18G and two foreign fighters, including the possible addition of new technologies.

In early February, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) notified industry that it would ask GE Aviation to submit a proposal for a contract for the company’s engineers to perform a study on an “F414-GE-400 core enhancement evaluation”.

Such notifications are required when the government plans to award a contract without inviting competing bids. No other details about the contents or objectives of the study were provided in NAVAIR study, which is described only as an assessment of “how upgrades … could improve engine performance, as well as F/A-18E/F and EA-18G performance”.

Asked to comment on the contract notification, GE released a statement to FlightGlobal that was approved by NAVAIR.

“NAVAIR has expressed interest in GE evaluating how our latest engine technologies could be applied to the F414 Enhanced Engine,” GE says.

GE’s proposed Enhanced Engine design surfaced as a proposal several years ago as part of Boeing’s Super Hornet bid for India’s fighter competition. GE has tested the durability or thrust upgrades in laboratory rigs. NAVAIR also paid GE in late 2013 to evaluate the F414 Enhanced Engine, with the possibility of funding a development programme two years later, although that follow-on contract never materialised.

“We believe this study would be an update of the previous work to include new technologies,” says GE, without elaborating.

A term in the title of the latest NAVAIR study — “core enhancement” — suggests the navy is focusing now on the three modules in the core of the engine, which include the high-pressure compressor, combustor and high-pressure turbine.

Any new technologies would come on top of GE’s proposals for the F414 Enhanced Engine. In the core section, these included 3D aerodynamic shaping of the compressor blades and an improved cooling system for the turbine blades. GE had previously considered inserting ceramic matrix composites in the turbine of the F414 Enhanced Engine, but as of early 2014 had resolved to continue using metallic alloy blades.

NAVAIR’s interest in upgrading the F/A-18E/F’s propulsion system comes after a remarkable turn-around for the Boeing production line in St. Louis. A year ago, the programme appeared to be close to winding down after completing remaining deliveries to the USN. Then, Boeing won long-sought deals to deliver at least 28 Super Hornets to Kuwait, 36 fighters to Qatar and a commitment from Canada to buy at least 18 F/A-18E/Fs. Moreover, US Defense secretary Jim Mattis said in late January that the F/A-18E/F could continue to be used as an internal competitor against the F-35.

“The Super Hornet now appears to be one of the more solid aircraft programmes rather than on the brink of death,” says Richard Aboulafia, Teal Group vice president of strategy, speaking at the Pacific Northwest Aviation Alliance conference on 15 February

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GE’s proposed Enhanced Engine design surfaced as a proposal several years ago as part of Boeing’s Super Hornet bid for India’s fighter competition. GE has tested the durability or thrust upgrades in laboratory rigs. NAVAIR also paid GE in late 2013 to evaluate the F414 Enhanced Engine, with the possibility of funding a development programme two years later, although that follow-on contract never materialised.